5 Common Types of Sex Crimes

Sex crimes are some of the most serious and harshly punished crimes in the criminal justice system. In California, a sex crime is defined as an illegal act of a sexual nature, and there are numerous different acts that fall under this category.

Depending on the severity of the crime and the people involved, sex crimes can be charged as either misdemeanors or felonies. However, due to the specific nature of these crimes, the majority of sex crimes in California are considered felonies.
 

Types Of Sex Crimes

The five most common types of sex crimes in California are statutory rape, prostitution, lewd conduct, sexual battery, and child enticement/endangerment.

Here’s how the law defines each of those crimes:

1) Statutory Rape: Defined as sexual intercourse by a person older than eighteen with a person who is below the legal age of eighteen, but older than fourteen.

Even if both parties have given full consent and engaged in intercourse voluntarily, a crime has still occurred. In statutory rape cases, the prosecutor can charge a person with the crime regardless of whether or not the victim is cooperating.

2) Prostitution: In California, prostitution is defined as paying or accepting money (or other consideration) in exchange for a sexual act.

It is also illegal to solicit acts of prostitution (pandering) on behalf of another person or persons. This is commonly known as “pimping”.

3) Lewd Conduct: Lewd conduct is a fairly broad category that includes a number of different offenses, most of which concern sexual activity in public places.

Acts such as giving or receiving oral sex in public, exposure of genitals (flashing) in public, masturbating in public, and having sex in public are all considered lewd conduct. Public parks, restrooms, and beaches tend to be the most common places people are arrested for these types of acts.

4) Sexual Battery: This charge covers sex crimes that aren’t covered by rape statutes, such as sexaual abuse and/or sexual misconduct.

Sexual battery is often characterized as sexual touching or penetration without the consent of the other party. These acts are usually forced or achieved by threat.

5) Child Enticement and Endangerment: Crimes that involve an adult persuading, or attempting to persuade, a minor to accompany them for the purpose of sexaual activity.

The specific types of charges differ from state to state, but in California they are extremely serious and carry very severe penalties.
 

Punishments For Sex Crimes

In California, the punishments for those convicted of sex crimes is almost always severe. While the exact nature of the punishment varies from case to case, anyone convicted of a sex crime should expect to spend several years in state prison and incur hefty fines or restitution.

Anyone charged with a sex crime should immediately consult with an experienced criminal defense attorney.

Quinnan Law has represented people throughout California on these types of cases. We are skilled at ensuring no one is falsely accused or charged with a sex crime, and we also represent those who have been the victim of a sex crime. To find out more about our services for those accused of a sexual crime, contact us today.